Fog ~ Turkeys ~ Sandra Bullock ~ Creamy Parmesan Tomato Spinach Tortellini Soup ~ Sunset

Good 45º super foggy morning. 

The fog was heavy yesterday morning for awhile.... then the sun broke through. YEAH!

.... and the turkeys were out munching on the grass...

later it warmed to 73º (!) and the turkeys were standing in the shade...

My friends Ann and Gabe (both LASD ret) live down in Hiouchi near Crescent City California by the Smith River. Right now there are film crews making a movie. Here is a picture Ann captured with Sandra Bullock in a boat on the river with a gun drawn...

Creamy Parmesan Tomato and Spinach Tortellini Soup

A creamy tomato soup with cheese tortellini, spinach and plenty of Parmesan cheese that is pure comfort food on a chilly day!

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
1/4 cup flour (rice flour for gluten free)
3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
8 ounces cheese tortellini (gluten free for gluten free)
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan), grated
10 ounces spinach, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream or Greek yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup basil, chopped (optional) 

directions
Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the onion and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

Add the flour and cook for another minute.

Add the broth, tomatoes, tomato paste and tortellini, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the tortellini is tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the Parmesan, let it melt, add the spinach, let it wilt, add the cream, season with salt and pepper to taste, remove from heat before adding the basil.

Option: Puree some or all of the diced tomatoes. (I like to puree half of them.)
Option: Add 2 cups of cooked and shredded chicken or 8 ounces of cooked Italian sausage to make it even heartier.
Option: Replace the fresh basil with 2 tablespoons basil pesto.

Historically this date........

1690 – The colony of Massachusetts issues the first paper money in America. 

1913 – The Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, authorizing the Federal government to impose and collect an income tax. 

1918 – The Twin Peaks Tunnel in San Francisco, California begins service as the longest streetcar tunnel in the world at 11,920 feet (3,633 meters) long.

1947 – The lowest temperature in North America is recorded in Snag, Yukon.

.... -81º !!!! 

1959 – A plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa kills Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and pilot Roger Peterson and the incident becomes known as The Day the Music Died. 

1961 – The United States Air Forces begins Operation Looking Glass, and over the next 30 years, a "Doomsday Plane" is always in the air, with the capability of taking direct control of the United States' bombers and missiles in the event of the destruction of theSAC's command post. 

1971 – New York Police Officer Frank Serpico is shot during a drug bust in Brooklyn and survives to later testify against police corruption. Many believe the incident proves that NYPD officers tried to kill him. 

And births this date include....

1894 – Norman Rockwell, American illustrator (d. 1978)

 

1904 – Pretty Boy Floyd, American gangster (d. 1934)

 

1907 – James Michener, American author (d. 1997)

 

1918 – Joey Bishop, American entertainer, member of the Rat Pack (d. 2007)

 

1943 – Blythe Danner, American actress

 

1950 – Morgan Fairchild, American actress

Sunset with some "different" clouds.....

All I know. Nuff said. Happy Saturday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

National Carrot Cake Day

Here are today’s five things to know about carrot cake:

Carrots were first cultivated in north Africa & the Mediterranean. They originally were purple or grey in color. Introduced to Europe around 1000 years ago.

The weed/flower Queen Anne’s Lace is actually a wild carrot.

People first grew carrots as medicine, not food, for a variety of ailments.

Carrots are one of the rare vegetables which are more nutritious cooked than raw.